Checkpoint
by theforgotten09
Summary: The Darkness had subsided for a few years and life has returned pretty much to normal for the main heroes. But adjusting to normal life is harder than Sora and Riku realized. Faced with real world decisions and their own conflicting feelings and senses of loss. And they aren't the only ones.


You never hear about the people whose lives were affected by the Darkness Rising. But there are more problems besides the Darkness that was fought earlier. The darkness in people's hearts is just as great of a danger as the heartless that once ran the world. Things like depression, drugs, and complacency effect the lives of the main cast and those they come to encounter.

….

**Chapter 1: Starting at the First Checkpoint**

(this chapter isn't quite finished, will write more later)

_The sky is blue today. I like that. I enjoyed the rays of sun on my face and the soft breezes on my skin. Today was hot, probably 85 degrees, and it's excellent. Today I'm going to Destiny Islands._

Gaia docked her boat on the pier and took a moment to stretch her arms. It had been nearly 5 years since the star-shower that visited that place, and it had been 5 years since the darkness swallowed the world she lived in. She remembered how she used to play in the sand and water, especially the water.

There were always a group of kids here when she would come to visit. Sora, Riku, Kairi, Selphie, Tidus, and Wakka; she remembered all of their names. They seemed to be there every time she arrived, and they did have fun together, but she was never a part of their circle. Especially the Sora, Riku, Kairi circle. She had always wondered curiously what their great big connection was.

Gaia thought back to her past and wondered why she had spent so much time desiring to be friends with everyone, envying their connections instead of making her own. After the Darkness came…she couldn't quite remember what had happened. One minute she was drowning, and the next she was in Traverse Town. But even in that city for refugees she could only work to survive. Friends came and left, and she never heard from them again.

Back in the present time she was searching for her favorite little hangout. A place she was sure she was alone. She walked around to the back of the island, past the Secret Place and through the thick trees to a small tidepool that sat on the outer edge. It didn't look like anyone came here much anymore, if at all. She looked for a mark on one of the trees and started digging with her little shovel. Several years back she had made some charms out of Thalassa shells, they were still in semi-good condition, but were going to need some work.

As she stood up to go back, she came face to face with the man she remembered from her past: Riku.

Gaia didn't think Riku would remember her. After all, it had been how many years since he had seen her? And how many things had happened between then and now? She didn't have a clue, but she remembered him pretty well though. She always seemed to remember those people who would eventually become dark heroes. Riku showed traits of such things when he was just thirteen.

She remembered how he studied her with those very same blue-green eyes years ago. They were much brighter, more inquisitive then than they are now. She worked up a smile and an awkward wave. "Hello," she managed to say, hating how her voice came out. It was kind of raspy and could be drowned out by the wind. Riku must have seen her lips move because he acknowledged her with a nod.

So far so good.

"It's pretty good weather we're having today huh?" she said as she moved closer. Riku didn't really reply, so much as give a bit of a snort. I guess he really doesn't remember me. Gaia thought. She wondered if she should feel hurt about that, but decided against it. Maybe they could strike up a new acquaintanceship, something like friends. Connections, something like that.

"What's your name?" she asked humbly, clasping her hands behind her back and leaning forward a little, not flirtatious, but showing she was non-threatening and could be trusted. He seemed a bit caught off guard by her directness. Their eyes met, a little bit confused, and a whole lot of awkward.

"Riku", he said, folding his arms across his chest. "What's yours?" he returned.

"My name's Gaia", she replied, straightening herself and relaxing her pose, not taking her eyes away from his. At the sound of her name she noticed his facial expression change from slight confusion to possible recognition. But he hid it very well. "What is it?" she asked. He might remember me after all. Did I play too dumb? Wait, he didn't talk to me that much in the past; could he really recognize me now? Her thoughts kind of ran together. When he didn't reply she figured it was time to give up. "Well, I guess I'll be going then," she said, making her way around him.

"You're Gaia, you used to come here sometimes, didn't you?" his voice rang from behind. She turned around suddenly.

"You actually remember me?" she found herself saying. She fought the urge to cover her mouth in embarrassment.

"Not very well, but you were always wearing blue things in your hair. And…" his voice trailed off. Gaia suddenly became aware of the blue feathers she was wearing in her hair. I guess he would remember details like that. She quipped in her head. "And…we only ever spoke once," he found his voice. She fingered one of the points on her charms and thought hard. She never remembered him saying a word to her. That was funny.

"That's funny", her mouth echoed her head, "I don't remember you ever speaking to me," she paused, "I didn't think you liked me very much." It was true, she had always felt that Riku didn't like her being on the island very much. In fact, even though she felt both drawn in by him, he always managed to keep her at a distance. That was him. He just had this way of keeping everyone at a distance, even those close to him had to look up in order to see.

…

Back on Destiny Islands, hope abounded. She could see that. Shops were getting remodeled and stores were re-opening. Children were playing in the parks, dogs were catching flying frisbees, everything was so much brighter than it had been years ago. And she didn't want it to go back to where it came from. Everyone had worked so hard. She tried not to think back about her awkward conversation with Riku as she walked past her former high school.

She hadn't been able to graduate from there. She was barely in her teens when the lights went out and she and so many others that she remembered seeing everyday were suddenly gone. She walked unnoticed through the streets until she came to the Sherrif's office where she let herself in. She worked as a hired hunter for criminals. She mostly caught swindlers and thieves. High crime had been somewhat eliminated because of the heartless stealing the darkened minds of the depraved in society.

Sheriff Klein was there sitting at his desk with a new Deputy who looked somewhat familiar. The fire-engine red hair is a tipoff.

"Good afternoon Gaia," Klein greeted her with a nod and a smile, "This is Axel." He nodded in the direction of the tall and lean man. Axel turned to her with a sly grin that made it seem as if he had found some sort of amusing new toy. But as she looked closer she could see something like relief in his eyes.

"Yo, nice to meet you," he said holding out his hand which she shook kindly. It suddenly occurred to her that she didn't know him at all. The familiarity was just an illusion her mind made up when she saw an attractive guy.

"Likewise", she said in her raspy voice that she had used with Riku. "What will you be working with?" she asked. Axel sighed and sat himself on the desk.

"Klein here wants us to work together to be sure this town gets back on its feet," he said matter-of-factly. Gaia was surprised. Klein had commended her on the excellent job she had done cutting down on petty crime in the area. She didn't need a partner, much less someone she wasn't even familiar with working with her on cases. She cast a brief glance at Axel again and crossed her arms.

Normally she would have put up a cold front and demand that she work alone, but since she had been alone for so long she chalked it up to loneliness and frustration. She should be grateful for the company and so decided to put up with it. He hadn't annoyed her yet.

…

Axel's POV:

How he ended up at Destiny Island was a mystery. It was bizarre how he woke up in the middle of town at some point during the night with memory of everything that had happened up to the minutes before he woke. He remembered how he woke up without his powers or his black trenchcoat from the Organization. He just had a chackram charm and his facial markings he had chosen for some reason. Those were his only reminders from his former life.

And now here he was with only his name and a starting job that had some promise of going somewhere. And now he had a possible companion, a girl named Gaia. He liked looking at her. She had this little fire inside that would go off every time she moved. Her body seemed like a lighter, flickering like fireworks. His favorite feature of her was her blue hair ornaments she wore in her long dreadlocks, and those brown eyes of hers that had seen too much too soon. He settled on deciding he found her pretty, in the tough and wild way. Maybe things wouldn't be so bad.

Of course he was kidding himself and suddenly felt bad for deciding to use yet another person to amuse him. He had become so used to using that he did it without thinking. The list of people he used: Isa, Sora, Namine, Larxene, Marluxia, just to name a few and put it lightly. Some he felt bad for using, others he did not. Namine was innocent. Larxene was more innocent than anyone ever suspected. Marluxia was not. And now there was Gaia. She seemed more innocent than she was letting on. Her eyes had that vibe he had come to recognize

They hadn't said much of anything to each other for most of their patrol. Gaia smiled at the children and talked with the shopkeepers, introducing him at some point during the conversation. Sometimes he felt like the older ladies were giving them that look of mischivious curiousity that they reserved for destined couples.

By the time evening rolled around they hadn't had a single conversation. Axel was uneasy because conversations usually came quickly and easily to him. He assumed he had one of those faces that gave people the okay to just start talking to him. He had heard earfuls of information that most normal people would agree should keep secret. Gaia wasn't in the mood to talk or at least didn't feel the need to. There had to be a way to break the ice.

"So what do you do when you're not on duty?" he asked casually. He saw her face contort in thought.

"You know what? I'm not even sure what I do anymore," she replied. He saw her glance at her hand that had some make-shift charms nestled there. "I guess I haven't given much thought to anything lately." Axel felt himself smile. Well, he could most definitely help with that!

"Do you want to hang out after our shift ends?" he found himself asking. He didn't bother explaining that they were both were coworkers and it was just to bond. Honestly he wasn't interested in deep relationships and hoped she wouldn't fall for him. But she seemed to be interested in other things. Perhaps a one-night stand was in order? He hadn't gotten any in a while. He slowed his walk down to check her out from behind.

Yeah, they were going to have to get together at some point.


End file.
